It's The Simple Things
by Macavity
Summary: ...That you treasure forever. One person's perspective on life, annoying quirks, and the center of their universe: Seto Kaiba. PLEASE RR!


Disclaimer: What did the five fingers say to the face? SMACK! MWAHAHAHAHA! Okay, that made no sense. Neither does thinking that Yu-Gi-Oh belongs to me.  
  
Seto: You're such a loser.  
  
Yami: Dink.  
  
Seto: Freak.  
  
Yami: Dork.  
  
Seto: Goober.  
  
Yami: Bedanged-to-the-ish-ness  
  
Me: HEY! Stop using all my insults! BUMS!  
  
Seto: I knew I missed one...  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, I am a lazy bum. I've had this written for months now and I didn't post it. Wanna know why I'm doing it now? Because JIA is the CHICK and she took the initiative to bug me and nag me about it until I did post it. So this story is for Jia, because it's really more her story than mine by now. She wanted to see it posted. I just wrote the bedanged thing.  
  
Also, this story operates in kind of an odd way. The first part is narrated in first-person, the POV of whatever speaker you choose. You'll get the hang of it. The second, after this little thing: ~*~ :is done in third- person from an outside POV. A different sort of style for me.  
  
Special Dedication: Jia. Who else? ^_^  
  
That said, here goes!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
No one would ever imagine that my kitten can be playful.  
  
Not many people really look at him, now that I think about it. Of course, they acknowledge his presence (he's too prominent to NOT notice), but they never really stop and study him the way I do. Then again, I've had a lot of time to look him over. I've learned his habits, his quirks, all the cute little things that make him who he is.  
  
Seto Kaiba.  
  
Yes, that's right, Seto Kaiba. Back off, you wannabe admirers, he's MINE. I'm the only person in the world that he trusts enough to surrender to. Although technically it's more like a mutual compromise, I guess. See, this all started in the park one summer evening. He was sitting on a bench by the lake, absently tossing crumbs of bread to the waiting ducks and generally looking miserable. I, on the other hand, was taking my nightly constitutional along a path that crossed the one he was sitting next to. The poor baby, he was crying by the time I approached. Those big blue eyes were all full of tears and the sleeve of his shirt was wet from where he'd wiped his nose. It's an old habit—when he cries, he uses his sleeve instead of a tissue.  
  
That's another of the little quirky imperfections that makes my Seto so...well, so perfect.  
  
As I was saying, our paths crossed. The first words out of his mouth were "Go away", actually. He's so predictable, especially when he's upset. This time, though, I refused to heed his command. Instead, I plopped down on the bench next to him and picked up his little bag of bread crumbs, tossing some to the waiting ducks. We sat there in perfect silence for what seemed like hours before finally, Seto whispered, "I can't do this anymore."  
  
It was the first civil thing he'd ever said to me.  
  
Of course, I asked him what was wrong, and then it all just came pouring out. Trouble at work, trouble at home, everything was slipping by so fast and already his brother was a teenager, independent, didn't need him anymore...the list just went on and on. He was absolutely terrified of the future, of not having someone to care for and protect. So of course, being the crazy person I am, I put my arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug. To my surprise, he leaned right into my touch.  
  
I probably ought to explain this one a little bit more. I know Seto seems untouchable, but that's only to the people who aren't close to him. When he's having a nightmare, I'll walk into his room and sit down on the edge of the bed, putting my arms around him and just holding him for a long, long time. He's never said a word about that to me, and I don't know if he even knows I do it. But even in sleep, he curls up so willingly in my arms, like a little clay figure that can be molded perfectly to my own liking. His bangs fall over his eyes and the cutest sounds escape his slightly parted lips, as if telling me that he's all right.  
  
However, during the daytime, he absolutely hates being touched (even by me). If I come up behind him while he's working and try to put my arms around him, he'll kick and scream until I back off. I'm sure deep in his heart he knows he's starving for human comfort, but he just can't seem to let his own personal defenses down when he's awake. Poor little kitten...  
  
But every once in a while, if I can somehow catch him in a pensive mood, Seto is a lot of fun to watch and tease. Like I mentioned before, he's got all those cute little quirks that are so uniquely him. All those little things that cast away the image of a cold, emotionless being and remind me that he's really just a little boy lost in a big, big world...  
  
The way he nibbles on the side of his thumb when he's nervous or excited...  
  
The way he practically throws a fit if there's no more strawberry juice boxes in the fridge...  
  
The way he curls up on the couch in the evenings with this worn-out, fuzzy blue blanket that's barely big enough to cover him anymore...  
  
The way he loves that old Disney movie "The Lion King", even to the point where he'll sing along with the songs...  
  
The way he makes his brother laugh by pulling quarters out of his ear, using simple, amateur sleight-of-hand...  
  
The way he tilts his head ever so slightly to the side when he's thinking, twirling a pen around his fingers...  
  
The way his long eyelashes bat together in the last few moments of awareness before he falls asleep...  
  
The way his hands always smell faintly of violets, a side effect from the lotion he uses on them...  
  
The way he always, ALWAYS, licks his lips twice after taking a bite of a peach...  
  
The way he pronounces "tormentor", with the em-PHA-sis on the completely wrong syl-LA-ble...  
  
All right, now I have to stop a minute and talk about that one. Seto is SO much fun to tease! Especially about the way he talks. I once chased him around his entire office for an hour, just to keep hearing him yell, "Stop it! Stop tor-MEN-ting me!" So then, of course, I'd tease him some more about the way he said "tormenting", which would bring this cute little pink flush to his cheekbones, so small you couldn't barely tell it was there if you weren't looking for it. And when he's indignant, his voice gets all high-pitched and squeaky--and let me tell you, Seto absolutely HATES the fact that I know this. He-he-he...  
  
Of course, if I happen to push him too far, he'll start to ignore me. Now, THAT is quite possibly the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Forget paper cuts. Forget open wounds and lemons. Forget hail in the eye. Forget being locked in a tiny cell-like room with Tea. We're talking PAINFUL. He'll just clam up and close his eyes, sitting perfectly still until I start to think he's transformed into some sort of wax dummy. It doesn't matter how much I try to bribe him or snuggle him or tickle him, he'll just sit there and refuse to acknowledge that I exist. It almost makes me want to cry, trying to get my little Seto back and knowing that he's mad at me.  
  
Finally, when nothing else has worked and I just can't stand the silence anymore, I'll go sit by his feet and put my head on his knee. He'll still be staring at the wall, refusing to even react to my actions, but by that point I'm desperate and don't really care. When he gets like that, words just seem to fail me. I mean, I'm not good at apologies ANYWAY, but around Seto it's near impossible. So I just sit there quietly, eyes closed, resting my cheek on his knee. If I wait long enough, I'll eventually start to feel fingers running gently through my hair—Seto's personal form of silent apology. And then things are better again.  
  
I try not to upset him, though. Poor little thing, he's already got so much stress to deal with from his job and school...if he had to deal with me all the time as well, I'm afraid it would rip his sanity into shreds. So I only tease him if I know he's in a particularly good mood. Of course, "good" for Seto is somewhere along the lines of "fifteen hour workday" (as opposed to, oh, say, "twenty-two hour workday"), so it's not exactly what the average person would consider a spectacular event. But I'm just happy about time I get to spend with him. My favorite times are the rainy days when he sits on the couch with his blanket and puts in some kind of cheesy Disney movie to watch, and he lets me sit down next to him and puts his head on my shoulder and just watches...  
  
He's snugglable. You know, I like that word. Snugglable. It just describes him so perfectly, especially when we're watching a movie. Oh, but we can't just put in the tape and watch it—heavens, no. Everything has to be just exactly perfect for Seto before he can settle in and watch his movies. He makes popcorn (all by himself—I'm so proud!), rearranges all the lights so it's dark in the room but still light enough to see the screen without damaging his eyes, gathers up his old fuzzy blanket and his favorite stuffed animal, fluffs the pillows, and digs out these worn old blue-and- white flannel pajamas that are adorable but REALLY ratty. Then, and only then, can we start the tape.  
  
He cries when Mufasa dies, every time we watch "The Lion King".  
  
Forget the fact that the boy has seen that movie so many times, he can repeat the lines word for word. He knows full well that it's coming; whenever Scar comes on the screen, he makes this little "eep!" noise and pulls the blankets up to his chin. But no matter what, even though he knows the storyline forwards and backwards, he always starts crying when Mufasa dies. I've offered to fast-forward through that part, I've tried muting it; I've even blatantly warned him that it's coming. "Okay," I'll say, ten minutes before it actually happens, "Scar's making his plot. Mufasa is going to die pretty soon." And he'll just nod and smile, still firmly set in his little fantasy world, hoping that maybe this time the outcome will be different.  
  
I just don't understand it. It's like those people who watch "Titanic" twelve times in the movie theater. Do they think it's going to change? The boat sinks and the people die, the end. It's not like if you go back and watch it again, maybe this time it'll miss the iceberg. The boat sinks, people! So there! And it's the same way with Mufasa and Simba. Seto seems to think that maybe, just maybe, if he closes his eyes and wishes with all his might, Mufasa will be able to keep his grip and not fall off the ledge.  
  
Somehow, I think Seto relates so well to "The Lion King" because it reminds him of his own family.  
  
Mufasa gets trampled by a raging herd of wildebeest. Seto's father loses control in his car and hits a tree. Both are killed instantly. Both leave a lost, terrified son behind, feeling that somehow it's all their fault. Seto seems to think "The Lion King" was written for him, just for him, and it's the only thing keeping him sane. Well, the movie and ME, that is.  
  
Wait a second...if he's Simba, does that make me Nala? Nala?! I resent that!  
  
At any rate, he curls up next to me and hugs my arm with his head on my shoulder, silent tears running down his face. He can't help but smile, though, when the three animals sing "Hakuna Matata". He always sings along to that one. It's one of those comforting things for him, hearing Timon and Pumbaa dancing around singing "It means no worries, for the rest of your days." Poor little kitten. He'd give his entire company in return for no worries the rest of his days.  
  
It's cute, though, the way his mood changes as the movie progresses. In the beginning he'll have this sunny smile on his face as he chants along with "Circle of Life". His cheeks get pink and he starts to giggle when Simba sings "I Just Can't Wait to be King". He shivers and clings when the lion cubs go to the elephant graveyard, and cries when Mufasa dies. He bounces when they sing "Hakuna Matata", blushes when grown-up Simba and Nala meet again, and watches with starry eyes as Simba finally takes his place as king at the end of the movie.  
  
Of course, being the pouty, spoiled little child that he is, we end up watching "The Lion King" almost every night—or rather, nights when he doesn't pass out from sheer exhaustion on the desk in his office and I have to drag him home at two in the morning. No, movies are reserved only for the nights I can coax, bribe, or forcibly drag him home before ten P.M. Strange, though...watching "The Lion King" helps him sleep, I guess. He likes to slowly drift off to sleep on my shoulder as the credits begin to roll, while the images of brave lions and happy-go-lucky animals dance in his head. Poor little Seto...still just a child forced to live in a grown-up world...  
  
I think that's why I so deeply treasure the times he opens up to me. He trusts me enough to show me the REAL Seto, the little ten-year-old Seto who still lives inside him somewhere, begging to be set free. Sometimes he even affixes the honorific "-san" to the end of my name as he shyly watches me out of those big blue eyes. I dunno, sometimes I just hate it when he does that, but sometimes it's really cute too. His long, ebony eyelashes bat against his cheek and he smiles in that lovely way that only he can manage to pull off, sweetly asking me to pass the popcorn or fluff his pillows for him. Darn it, that's quite possibly the only thing in the world that can REALLY get to me. If he uses the shy little sweetheart voice, I'm completely gone. Goodbye, free will. The cute voice has made me a slave to my little blue-eyed dragon.  
  
Once again, that's one of those strange quirks that I just love about him.  
  
And now, at last, I have to ask myself—who the heck is in control in this relationship? After all we've been through together in the past years, Seto can't live all on his own anymore. He depends on me so much, and almost every day he repeats the promise I made to him all those years ago...the promise that I would always be with him and never leave his side. The promise that no matter what changed in his life (aka Mokuba growing up, work taking an upside or downside...), I would always remain as his constant. I would be the one steady thing in his life that would always be there for him. And I don't plan on breaking that promise anytime soon.  
  
Of course, I'm certainly not in control either. If he wanted to, that little rascal could manipulate me with nothing more than the bat of his eye. He knows quite well if he looks at me one particular way, the moment he says, "Jump", I'll instantly reply, "How high?" I'm bound to him in ways I can't even comprehend, and he's tied to me in the same way. I can't even imagine life without him anymore—he's just that important to me. I need him as much as I need my own heart.  
  
As a matter of fact, he IS my heart.  
  
He's a lot of things to me. MY kitten. MY dragon. MY Blue-Eyes. MY heart. MY darling. MY angel. But you'll note, the operative word there is MINE. You can't have him! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Jealous? You should be.  
  
Oh, wait...here he comes now. He's happy—I convinced him to only work eight hours today in return for lots of personal time together. He-he-he...you're so easy to bribe, Seto. He's got the popcorn all ready, too. I guess it's time to set my pen aside and just revel in the warm blankets and happy sounds of "The Lion King". Even though by now I know all the words...  
  
~*~  
  
Seto walked over to the couch with the large bowl of popcorn, wearing his favorite flannel pajamas and a sunny smile. "Is the tape in?"  
  
"Of course, little one."  
  
"Oh, good! Here's the popcorn..."  
  
"All right. Shall I start the movie now?"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
There was a short pause where the pair on the couch simply looked into each other's eyes...and then...  
  
"Seto?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Will you PLEASE stop chewing on the side of your thumb?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
WELL?! Good? Bad? Sappy-happy-crappy? Tell me in a review! And also tell me who YOU decided was narrating! I want to know, seriously. That's the point of all these open-ended first-person stories: it makes YOU fit the person you want to into the story! But just wait, someday Jia will demand a closed- view story and then I'll have to...um...do something else. ^_^  
  
Seto: You are SUCH a dork!  
  
Yami: YEAH!  
  
Seto: And I do not chew on my thumb!  
  
Yami: YEAH!  
  
Seto: And I do NOT watch "The Lion King"!  
  
Yami: YEAH!  
  
Me: *sings* It means no worries...  
  
Seto: *sings* FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS! IT'S OUR PROBLEM-FREE PHILOSOPHY! HAKUNA—  
  
Yami: *raises eyebrow*  
  
Seto: ...Whoops.  
  
Okay, people, you know how this goes. Click the button and leave a review. Tell me what you thought. Joey the Flame Swordsman and Flamina, the angel minion of fire, are going to torch all the nasty reviews and have a barbecue, during which Seto will be forced to watch "The Lion King" and Tea will be roasted like a Hawaiian pig. That said, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! 


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